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Investment Market Update

04 May 2017

World markets

FTSE 100-0.2%7234.53

FTSE 250-0.6%19683.39

Euro Stoxx 6000.0%389.37

S&P 500-0.1%2388.13

Nikkei0.0%19445.70

Hang Seng (HK$)-0.5%24583.20

asia

Most Asian stock markets slipped Thursday after a lacklustre day on Wall Street as the Fed used its latest assessment of the US economy to signal that more interest rate increases are on the way. Japan's market remained closed for a holiday.

us

Gains in US banking shares were offset on Wednesday by declines in media stocks and Apple shares. Shares at media groups Viacom and Time Warner slid after the latter said advertisers were taking a "wait-and-see" approach. Apple shares fell 0.3%, although it started the day down nearly 2% after news that sales of iPhones fell in the first quarter of 2017.

uk

UK stocks closed lower Wednesday, weighed down by weaker commodity stocks, while supermarket Sainsbury's dropped after an underwhelming earnings update. Software firm Sage was among the winners, adding 3.4% on the strength of its first-half results.

Facebook's profits have jumped in the first three months of the year, as the social network closes in on two billion users, according to its latest results. The number of people using Facebook each month increased to 1.94 billion, of which nearly 1.3 billion use it daily, the company said. The US tech giant reported profits of just over $3bn (£2.4bn) in the first quarter, a 76% rise year-on-year.

Market data

Price

1d

YTD

2016

UK (£)

FTSE 100

7,234.53

-0.2%

1.3%

14.4%

FTSE 250

19,683.39

-0.6%

8.9%

3.7%

FTSE All Share

3,978.43

-0.3%

2.7%

12.5%

FTSE Small Cap

5,538.38

-0.5%

7.7%

11.0%

St. James's Place

1,152.00

0.0%

15.9%

3.9%

Europe (€)

Euro Stoxx 600

389.37

0.0%

7.7%

-1.2%

DAX 30

12,527.84

0.2%

9.1%

7.0%

CAC 40

5,301.00

-0.1%

9.0%

4.9%

US (US$)

S&P 500

2,388.13

-0.1%

6.7%

9.5%

Dow Jones Ind

20,957.90

0.0%

6.0%

13.4%

NASDAQ

6,072.55

-0.4%

12.8%

7.5%

Asia

Hang Seng

24,583.20

-0.5%

11.7%

0.4%

Nikkei 225

19,445.70

0.0%

1.7%

1.8%

Australia 200

5,876.40

-0.3%

3.7%

7.0%

MSCI AC Asia Pacific

149.58

-0.3%

10.8%

2.3%

World (US$)

MSCI World (Developed)

1,883.14

-0.2%

7.5%

5.3%

MSCI AC World (Dev & Em)

456.62

-0.2%

8.2%

5.6%

MSCI Emerging Markets

985.74

-0.2%

14.3%

8.6%

MSCI AC World Value

203.79

-0.1%

4.8%

9.5%

MSCI AC World Growth

241.20

-0.2%

11.9%

1.8%

Fixed Income

FTSE Gilts All Stocks

3,584.54

0.0%

1.7%

8.5%

FTSE Index Linked All Stocks

655.01

-0.7%

2.9%

21.2%

ML Sterling Corporate Bonds

391.93

0.2%

2.8%

10.7%

ML Global High Yield Bonds

359.15

0.0%

4.9%

15.0%

Commodities (US$)

Brent Crude Oil

50.79

0.7%

-13.5%

23.4%

Gold

1,247.96

-0.6%

8.2%

8.6%

UK Sectors

Basic Materials

4,979.96

-2.3%

-1.4%

93.9%

Consumer Goods and Services

21,895.50

-0.5%

11.2%

9.6%

Financials

4,999.78

0.1%

4.6%

8.6%

Health Care

10,180.62

0.0%

3.1%

5.8%

Industrials

3,978.43

-0.3%

2.7%

15.4%

Oil & Gas

7,550.78

0.0%

-11.7%

54.2%

Technology

1,837.78

-1.4%

-8.2%

33.4%

Telecommunications

3,224.90

0.4%

-4.6%

-14.7%

Utilities

8,598.14

0.6%

-0.2%

2.5%

Currencies

$ per £

1.29

0.1%

4.7%

-16.3%

€ per £

1.18

0.2%

1.0%

-15.7%

¥ per £

144.90

-0.1%

0.3%

-22.7%

Indicators

VIX Index (Volatility)

10.68

0.8%

-23.9%

-22.9%

Baltic Dry Index

1,034.00

-3.6%

7.6%

101.1%

UK Rates

BoE Base Rate

0.25%

LIBOR (3 months)

0.32%

Consumer Price Index

2.30%

Retail Price Index

3.10%

Yields / Ratios

FTSE 100 Adj P/E

25.09

FTSE All Share Adj P/E

23.70

FTSE All Share Yld

3.88%

15yr Gilt Yield

1.47%

10yr Gilt Yield

1.07%

10yr US Tres Yield

2.32%

Market prices will reflect the last closing prices with the exception of the Asian markets which may be still trading at the time the data is obtained. The data for these markets is therefore a snapshot of live trading data obtained between 06.45 and 07.15 GMT. Growth is shown cumulative and is not annualised. A positive currency movement indicates the £ appreciating against the other currency. Performance data does not account for the re-investment of dividends. This information has been reproduced by kind permission of Bloomberg and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of St. James's Place Wealth Management. St. James's Place considers the information to be reliable but it is not intended to provide a sufficient basis on which to make an investment decision.

Source: MSCI. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indices or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

Some of the products and investment structures documented within this article will not be available to our clients in Asia. For information on the funds that are available please get in touch.

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Although the content of the article(s) archived were correct at the time of writing, the accuracy of the information should not be relied upon, as it may have been subject to subsequent tax, legislative or event changes.